Foot Care

Foot corns and Corn treatment

Foot Corns develop to protect your feet from the hardships they are exposed to.You tend to work day in day out with your feet and hands in mud and otherwise. Your feet get exposed. To protect the feet from dirt, corns and calluses ( thick hardened layers of skins) develop, they cause discomfort, need to be treated. These foot corns can also be treated with Home remedies.

Types of Corns:

The two types of corns are:

Hard Corns or Haeloma Durums:

These are the most common types of corns and develop basically due to ill-fitting shoes. In most of the people the toe curls downward and does not lie straight or flat. If such curled toes are fitted in the shoes with tight toe boxes then it results in the formation of hard corns. Actually such toes remain inside the shoes and press on the inner side of the shoe, usually at the joints of the toe. Moreover the tip of the curled toe also puts pressure on the sole of the shoe. As the result formation of hard corns takes place to protect the underlying tissues. The main cause for the formation of hard corns is the excessive pressure which thickens the skin at the point of contact.

Soft Corns or Heloma Molles:

These are basically formed in between the fourth and the fifth toe, in case when the bones of the toe or phalanges are too wide. Usually, the shape of the phalanges is of hour-glass and the ends are slightly wider than the middle. The formation of soft corns takes place when the ends of the toe bones are also too wide and create friction in between the toes. The use of tight-fitting shoes is responsible to increase this problem. But the people with normal feet can also develop soft corns. Usually women wearing high-heel sandals or shoes with narrow elongated toe boxes suffer from toe boxes. Such shoes shift the weight of the body in the front part of the shoes thus reducing the enough space for the toes.

Signs and Symptoms for corn on foot:

Corns are smaller than calluses and have a hard center surrounded by inflamed skin. They develop on parts of body that do not carry any weight, such as tops and sides of your toes. If corns are pushed then they can cause pain or suffer from a dull ache. Calluses usually develop on the soles of the feet, especially under the heels or balls, on the palms, or the knees. They are rarely painful and vary in size and shape. They can be more than an inch in diameter, making them larger than corns.

Causes of Corns and Calluses

Ill-fitting shoes: When shoes are too tight, then your feet get compressed causing discomfort and corns and calluses develop. If the shoes are too loose, then the feet rub against the shoe. The foot may rub against a poorly placed seam or stitch inside the shoe.

Skipping socks- Wearing shoes or sandals without socks can be a problem. Socks should fit properly.

Using hand tools- The use of tools with your hands can also cause calluses on them.

Risk Factors that increase the incidence of calluses and corns on foot:

Bunions or hammertoe- A bunion is an abnormal, bony bump that forms on the joint at the base of the big toe. A hammertoe is a toe deformity in which your toe becomes curled up like a claw. These conditions can cause rubbing of the feet in the shoes.

Lack of protection for hands- Using hand tools without gloves can cause friction in the hands leading to corns and calluses.

Foot Deformities- A pre-existing foot deformity, such as bone spur, may cause problems to your feet.

Treatment of Calluses and Foot Corns:

Severe or persistent corns need to be treated, although they rarely require surgery. Persons suffering from diabetes, or artherosclerosis should not treat a corn on their own, as it can increase the risk of infection. There are acid preparations to reduce corns and calluses. A commonly used preparation is a mixture of salicylic acid,lactic acids and collodion (Duofilm, Salactic Film and Viranol). Over the counter acids are weaker than the ones prescribed.

Acids should not be used by diabetic patients and are not advisable for individuals with impaired sensation or for the elderly with thin skin. Medicated pads are also available. Comfortable shoes should be worn.

Protect your feet from corns and calluses; but if you do suffer then take the necessary precautions to avoid any discomfort. One need not worry about them, if they are not painful.

Natural Remedies for Corn Removal:

Some of the natural remedies for removing corns are:

Soak your feet in a solution of warm water having Borax, Bran and Iodine mixed in it. Soak your feet in this solution for 15-20 minutes daily and then rub off your skin with the help of a towel. As Borax is an acid so it will help in exfoliating the dead skin cells and iodine helps in preventing the reaction.

Cocoa butter can be used which helps in moistening the corn and makes the removal of the corn easier with the help of a pumice stone. Moreover the use of cocoa butter prevents the skin from dehydrating and getting damaged from sun.

Prevention of Foot corn:

Some of the preventive measures for the formation of foot corns include:

Avoid the activities which cause friction while you are wearing shoes of tight fitting.

Make sure that you wear shoes which fit in properly and are appropriate for your feet.

Check the soles and heels of your shoes, they must be even as uneven soles and heels are an indication of ill-fitting and need replacement.

Ensure that the stockings and socks you wear do not cramp your toes. Wearing of the gloves, knee pads and other protective things should be worn to avoid corn formation.

Make sure that you measure your feet before purchasing the shoes this will help you in getting the best fit for your toes. Also ensure that you do the purchasing of the shoes late in the afternoon when the feet are a bit swelled. This will help you in getting the best fit for your shoes.